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Thumb up or down on new(ish) Smashing Pumpkins

Thumb up or down on new(ish) Smashing Pumpkins

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 1:50 pm

by Sugarcubes Forever

Anybody still poking around in here?

Not sure if anybody who's been a glono regular has paid much attention to Billy Corgan lately. He's reformed his band with new members, including a 21 year old drummer he found at a McDonalds. (they're all great musicians).

He's released 10 free songs on SmashingPumpkins.com and he just inked a deal with EMI to remaster and rerelease almost everything in his back catalog (as well as archives) up through 2001, as well as record a new Pumpkins album.

The free songs he's recorded in the past 18 months have caused quite a stir amongst his die hard fans. I don't know what to think. Wondering if anybody who might not be paying attention would give a listen to a couple of them and share your thoughts. The fuzzy/heavy SP guitar sound is all but gone on these new songs. A couple of them have guitar parts that remind me of The Eagles. Some crazy synth on a few that remind me of 60s era pop.

Up till now, I've only been discussing these songs (on line) with hardcore Pumpkins fans, which at times is like beating my head against a wall.

I'll post a couple below. take a listen. Is this crap? Is it a worthy effort?

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 1:57 pm

by Sugarcubes Forever

Here's two versions one live from 2010 and one the "official" recorded version of Song for a Son, the song I like most out of the new batch.

so, is this current crop of songs an interesting departure? Or a bunch of half assed garbage?

Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 10:51 am

by DJMurphy

Owata isn't exactly lighting my life on fire... it seems sort of obvious and crass, "We're trying to be played on the types of radio stations that they play in dentist offices."

"Song for a Son" is a step up; I'm digging the retro overdubbed guitars, the dynamic shifts... this one sort of for me opens up the possibility that Corgan isn't a spent quantity yet. But without Chamberlin in the band it REALLY shouldn't call the band the Pumpkins.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 8:09 pm

by Sugarcubes Forever

there seems to be two strains of music coming out of the Billy Corgan camp these days. Owata is the most over the top example of one of them. Very pop, not really rockin' at all. In the past, tunes like that would often be put on pumpkins albums as transition tunes, usually just as acoustic or slow synthy styled.

My problem with the 10 free tunes form this past year is that the production quality is off. flat, emotionless vocals, too clean guitar. Anybody who's not Jimmy Chamberlain sounds weak on drums.

the other strain of tunes is a little more like Song for a Son and hints at 70s era guitar rock. In their live shows they've been jamming out on a couple of songs, one of them called Gossamer..it's long.. two files on youtube...